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We don't think of them until the power goes out, and then they're the only guys we want to see.

Linemen are the ones up in the bucket trucks after a big storm working to restore power; the ones dripping sweat in the midday heat to keep the lights on.

They work long hours under dangerous conditions, and it can be a thankless job.

But today's the day in Florida that we say, "Thank you," to the people who provide this vital service.

Today is Florida Lineworker Appreciation Day, as designated by the Florida House of Representatives in 2012.

Around these parts, Gulf Power linemen are the ones we rely on.

There out in our neighborhoods every day doing routine maintenance and emergency repair.

For the past 12 years, Jamie Franklin has been one of the 175 Gulf Power lineman working in and around Pensacola.

He said the lineman life isn't for everyone.

"You've got to be dedicated," he said. "It's a demanding job, a dangerous job — unforgiving. You have to stay focused and try to get your rest because it could be 2 o'clock in the morning when you get the call for another outage. So the main thing is taking care of yourself because that way you can take care of everybody else."

Finishing up a maintenance job off Saufley Field Road on Monday, Franklin said it's nice to be recognized but better to be helpful.

"It makes you feel good," he said. "A lot of times nobody knows what a lineman is or what we do until a storm rolls through. It's rewarding to go and get the lights back on. It gives you a sense of pride when you get done with a job and you know you helped get this neighborhood back on. That part is what I like."

Linemen in our area regularly handle upward of 12,000 volts. You can feel that kind of power even through the hefty work gloves lineman wear. And one mistake could spell disaster.

"They're the face of Gulf Power," company spokesman Gordon Paulus said. "They're the ones out serving the customers, and we couldn't be more proud of the work they do each and every day."